As Teleq moved from branch to branch, the birds began to squawk angrily. Obi-Wan leaped to catch a branch high overhead, then swung himself up into the trees. A bird pecked his hand, drawing blood. He swung up to the next branch. The tree was easy to climb, since the branches were wide and flat. He could see Teleq trying to scamper away, firing another shower of darts at him over his shoulder.
Anakin swung himself into a tree close by. He climbed up onto another branch, then another. High above the ground the branches were close together, and they would be able to leap from one tree to another to pursue Teleq.
But where was Teleq headed? Obi-Wan wondered as he climbed. He watched Teleq jump to another tree and realized what he was doing.
Teleq was leading them closer to Wren. The closer Obi-Wan got to Teleq, the more he would bring Wren into the range of fire of the darts. And wren would be unable to deflect them.
What is his objective? Obi-Wan wondered. How was he planning to catch the Jedi?
The possibilities flew through Obi-Wan's mind, presenting themselves so quickly it was as though they appeared all at once.
Wren himself is booby-trapped.
There is another trap in Wren's tree.
There is trap on the logical progression to Wren's tree.
There is no trap. Teleq is planning a surprise move with the flechette canister or another weapon.
The question is, how can I surprise him instead?
Anakin leaped from his tree to the next one, deflecting a shower of darts with a quick series of lightsaber moves. Obi-Wan leaped to another tree, still considering his options. Suddenly his mind cleared, leaving a space without sound. He knew what would follow: Qui-Gon's voice. Often it rose in his mind just when he was most confused or uncertain.
Use everything you have. Use the ground. Use the sky. Use what is around you.
Another bird suddenly squawked by his ear. Obi-Wan deftly moved to the left as the bird struck out with a long, pointed beak. Another bird leaped closer on the thick branch, screeching at Obi-Wan. He realized that he had almost stumbled into a nest. No wonder birds were so furious. He quickly jumped to the branch of the next tree.
He didn't like the setting of the battle. Teleq was adept at navigating the trees. He had chosen his ground wisely. And Obi-Wan couldn't help the nagging suspicion that somehow Teleq was luring them into a trap. They would have to get him first. But how?
Another bird squawked overhead, its mate joining it to circle above the nest.
Use everything you have.
While he deflected more darts from the flechette canister, Obi-Wan searched the branches near Wren's tree. Obviously, Teleq was trying to drive them there. He was being clever about it — he was trying to make them think that he was attempting to keep them away from the tree — but Obi-Wan knew better.
There — he saw it. A large nest near Teleq, guarded by two birds. That would do.
He did not have time to communicate his plan to Anakin. He would have to trust that his Padawan would get the idea.
Obi-Wan jumped from his tree to the next, following the route he felt sure Teleq wanted him to follow. He kept his lightsaber activated, swinging at the darts to clear his way. He could hear Anakin behind him, jumping from tree to tree.
When they were closer to Teleq, Obi-Wan swung off to another tree to his right. Anakin hesitated, then moved in the opposite direction.
It was not the first time that Obi-Wan was grateful for his Padawan's excellent instincts. Time and again, Anakin would read Obi-Wan's strategy faster than Obi-Wan ever expected.
Moving fast now, the two Jedi leaped from tree branch to tree branch. Obi-Wan could not see Teleq's face, but he could tell by his movements and the frantic burst from the flechette canister that the bounty hunter was unnerved.
As Obi-Wan grew closer, Anakin swung out to the side, so that Teleq was forced to move back, exactly where Obi-Wan wanted him.
Obi-Wan gathered the Force. It would be a difficult leap, bypassing one tree to land on another. But it was the only way to surprise Teleq enough to get him to leap to the next tree.
Obi-Wan jumped. The speed and power of the move surprised Teleq. Obi-Wan saw the shock on his face as he stumbled on the wide branch, then awkwardly leaped to the next tree. At the same time, Obi-Wan changed direction in midair. He collided with Teleq, sending the bounty hunter sailing straight into a bird's nest.
Screeee! Screeee! Screeee! Screeee! The birds erupted in wild, furious calls. Two small baby birds lifted their heads and tried to flap their wings at the intruder.
The two large birds guarding the nest suddenly rose in the air. Together, they extended their powerful claws and snatched Teleq from the nest. Beating their wings, they carried a struggling Teleq away.
Anakin leaped onto the branch next to Obi-Wan. "Good plan, Master."
"We need to get Wren down from that tree. It can't be as easy as it looks." Obi-Wan leaped from branch to branch. When he got onto the tree next to Wren's, he examined the area carefully. Wren could not move his eyes, yet Obi-Wan felt the Force roll out from him in strong waves. Wren was warning him.
"I know, Wren," he called out to him. "We will take our time, but we'll get you out."
The ground at the bottom of the tree was thickly carpeted with blooms, just like very other tree. But here the blooms were massed a little too thickly. The pattern was not random enough.
"Anakin, swing down and examine the ground under the tree," Obi-Wan instructed. Be careful. Don't get too close."
Anakin eased down to the ground. He circled the tree, gazing carefully down. "These blossoms have been placed here."
"That's what I thought."
"Something is underneath." Before Obi-Wan could stop him, Anakin tossed a rock into the mass of flowers. It disappeared.
"There's a trench down there," Anakin called up.
"You're lucky there wasn't explosive," Obi-Wan said disapprovingly. Sometimes Anakin acted rashly. If he could teach the boy one thing, it would be too wait.
He began to study the three branches. He noticed seams running through several branches.
"I think I get it," he called down to Anakin. "These branches have been cut through, then resealed. They won't take our wait. We would have crashed through, right into the trench."
"And then he could have hit us with some paralyzing darts," Anakin finished. "Pretty simple plan."
"Simple is sometimes best," Obi-Wan said. "Lucky for us, it was not in this case. We'll have to use our cable launchers to get Wren."
Activating their launchers, the Jedi swung close to Wren and managed to cut him free. Obi-Wan supported him as he released his cable launcher and they dropped to the ground.
He carefully lay Wren down and examined him. There was a long gash on one leg and his arm looked bruised. He had a blaster wound to his shoulder. He must have been in pain.
Obi-Wan reached for the bacta in his kit and administered it.
"You will be fine, but you need better care than we can find you here," he told Wren. "We must get you back to the Temple."